Mother's helper

I'd like to hire a mother's helper for about 12 hours a week. Probably a high school student, just to help me with one twin while I am with the other. I was wondering what the going rate is for something like that. I'm in NY (LI). Thanks!

We did this and it was the best decison ever. She played with our older daughter while we gave the twins a bath, or she'd hold a baby while I made dinner or DH ran an errand. Other times she'd hold a baby so one of us could spend time with our oldest. She came twice a week from 5:00-8:00. She was there for the rough time of the day - dinner, baths, bed, etc. It was so great. I was so relieved when it was one of her days to come. The only time we ever left her alone with kids was when our DS was in the hospital for a few days and she watched our big girl and infant girl by herself. However, she had been ODD's babysitter before the twins were born.

A factor in what we paid her was that she was one of DH's students. As time went on she became like our surrogate child and felt like family. We only paid her about $5 but we were usually both home and otherwise one of us was always there. If she hadn't been someone we knew well who was willing to do us a favor we would have gone as high as $8, but that's it. We couldn't afford more. We always fed her dinner as well.

I didn't have help with my twins, but having a third child under 2.5 pushed me over the edge. LOL. I had a neighbor who wanted to pick up work since she doesn't currently have a job. She's about 10 years older than I am, super-nice, jumps right in and does what's needed, and my kids love her. I pay her $12 an hour. She helps me take all three kids to amusement parks/zoos/ kid's museums which are unsafe at this point with 1 kid in a stroller and 2 toddlers on the move. She also helps out from 3 or 4 until 6 or 7 so I can get the older kids fed, the baby fed, etc. -- this is when my husband travels which has been every week in Jan. and the first half of Feb. Now that my baby's schedule is becoming more predictable, we'll probably use her more as a babysitter a couple times a month and to continue to help me when I take the kids to activities where I really need a spare set of hands. She's also a person I could count on completely in case we have some sort of emergency and need someone to watch the kids. It's a great thing to have, as we have never had family help available ( deceased /older parents/ MIL lives abroad, etc.)

I'm thinking about doing this...our neighbor (and owner of our daycare center) has a 13 yearold daughter who has taken a babysitting class and I was thinking that was an appropriate age to come over and entertain our 2 yearold after she got out of school or on Saturdays when my DH goes into the office...I was thinking of paying her $5/hr since she's fairly young and can't do that much aside from entertain my DD...

I have a mother's helpers a few half days a week when I'm home in the summers. Sometimes she would entertain one while I was busy with the other and sometimes I'd take her places I wasn't comfortable going alone like the beach. Sometimes I'd run a quick errand. She's been with us for two summers and my kids love her! I pay her babysitting rates ($10 / hr) because I wanted to keep her and figured she could get paid the regular rate somewhere else.

I'm in the CA Bay Area and pay my mothers helper $12 an hour. It's only my DD right now but I'm on modified bed rest so it's hard to rest with a toddler and she's a huge help. She will stay on after the twins are born.

Wow I feel like I'm cheap now...I pay the normal babysitter $10/hr, but she is a college student who actually works at a daycare...we're in the Midwest...do you think $5/hr for a 13yearold is being too cheap?